These beads, imported from the Czech Republic, are machine-faceted, then polished by glazing inside a red-hot oven. This gives them beautiful, glistening colors with a "softer" look and a smoother feel at a considerably lower price than the machine-polished Austrian crystal. Slight imperfections are to be expected and add to the allure of these much sought after beads. Size and shape may vary slightly and color may vary from dye lot to dye lot. Items are made with solid color glass, which means the base color of the glass is saturated throughout the object and will not fade or rub off over time.